The Shake-Down
One night parked on a hillside outside Gardnerville with a view of the Sierras. The whole point was to find what was broken before anything important was broken.
The truck was loaded by noon. I kept second-guessing whether I’d forgotten something—the kind of anxiety that follows you out of the driveway and doesn’t quit until you’re thirty miles out and have committed to the fact that you’re either fine or you’ll improvise.
Pearl was hitched on the first try, which felt like a good sign.
The Drive
It was about 45 minutes from home to the spot—a pullout on a BLM road I’d scouted on Gaia a few weeks earlier. The tow was smooth. Pearl tracked well behind the truck. I kept checking the mirrors more than I needed to; that habit will fade.
The first time I went over a cattle guard I braced like something was going to fall off. Nothing did.
Setting Up
Unhitching took ten minutes—mostly because I was being deliberate about it. Level the trailer, stabilizer jacks, then crack the galley hatch. The hatch is the best part. It lifts up and the whole back of Pearl opens into a kitchen.
I made coffee before I did anything else.
The Night
Slept better than I expected. The mattress is firm but fine. It got down to 42°F and the sleeping bag I brought was more than enough—I woke up at 3am sweating and kicked it half off.
No rain. Stars were good. I left the cabin vent cracked an inch and heard coyotes somewhere in the dark.
What Broke
- The latch on the small galley drawer rattles loose if the road is rough enough. Not a problem, but I’ll add a bungee until I find a proper fix.
- I forgot a can opener. Classic.
- The LED strip inside runs off the trailer battery but I hadn’t charged it. Dim yellow by 9pm. Fully charged battery is now a pre-trip checklist item.
What Worked
The awning is genuinely great. I set it up just to try it, even though the weather was clear—extended in about 90 seconds and gave me enough shade over the camp chair to sit comfortably in the afternoon sun.
The drawers are solid. Whoever built this knew what they were doing with the joinery.
Next time: longer drive, fewer improvised stops, and a proper pre-trip checklist.